Weed-cutter.



J. J. SMITH. WEED CUTTER. APPLICATION TILED AUG. 25, 190B.

Patented June 8,1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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' I anatomy 2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Patented June 8,1909.

UNITED sTArns ggrnN'r canton.

JOSEPH J. SMITH, OF WOODBURN, OREGON.

WEED-CUTTER.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Voodburn, in the county of Marion and State of Oregon, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in WVeed-Cutters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in weed cutters and cultivators,and has for its principal object the production of an implement of thischaracter wherein the cutter blades are rendered adjustable in a simpleand effective manner to vary their range of cutting action, and whereinan improved construction and arrangement of elements is provided toincrease the practical efliciency of this class of agriculturalimplements.

The invention consists of the features of construction and combination.of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a weed cutter and cultivator constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a sectionon the line at& of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the forwardcutter blade and the forward ends of the divergent cutter blades pivotedthereto. Fig. 6 is a cross section through the forward part of thecutter supporting frame on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is afragmentary top plan view of the rear end of one of the divergentcutting blades. Fig. 8 is an inverted perspective view thereof. Fig. 9is a detail perspective view of the clamping yoke. Fig. 10 is a crosssection through one of the divergent blades. Fig. 11 is a detailsection, showing the upper end of the slotted hanger and the main beammounted therein.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1designates a main beam provided at its forward end with a suitable draftattachment 2 and having suitably secured thereto the forward ends ofstilts or handles 3 reinforced therefrom by braces 4. From the rear endof the beam depends a standard 5 carrying a cultivator shovel 6. Themain beam 1 also supports the weed cutting devices and the supportingframe or attachments thereof, the latter comprising a pair of side beams7 disposed on opposite sides of said main beam and hav- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Application filed August 25, 1908. Serial No. 50,207.

ing their front and rear endscoiled to form sleeves 8 and 9.

Extending over the front portion of the beam 1 is a cross bar or plate10, below which are arranged bracing plates 11 suitably fastened attheir inner ends to the main beam and extending laterally therefrom inalinement with the plate 10. Bolts 12 extend downward through the endsof j the plate 10 and bracingplates 11 and through the sleeves 8 of theside beams 7 and rigidly connect said plates together and to the mainbeam and pivotally attach the forward ends of the side beams so as toadapt the rear ends of said beams to swing laterally relative to themain beam 1.

Depending from the beam 1 immediately in advance of the plates 10 and 11is a hanger 13 slotted at its upper end to receive the beam 1 andfastened thereto by bolts 1 1, the lower end of said hanger beingprovided with a horizontal attaching piece or plate 14: bolted to aforward cutter plate 15, which is rigidly fastened to the main beam bythe said hanger. The cutter plate 15 may be of any desired form andoperates in the line of draft of the machine to cut out the weeds androots, its forward edge being beveled or otherwise suitably shaped toform a cutting point or surface. At its rear the plate 15 is formed withan angular or downwardly bent projection 16 serving the function of arunner to hold the blade from lateral deflection under strain and to cuta furrow in the earth and loosen up the weeds and roots.

The rear ends of the side beams 7 are pivotally connected to spreadingand attaching pieces or plates 17, each consisting of a single piece ofsheet metal folded centrally upon itself with the ends of its armsdirected outward and the end of the upper arm upwardly extended andlaterally bent to form in conjunction with the underlying end of thelower arm a fork to embrace or engage the upper and lower portions ofthe sleeve 9 of the adjacent side beams, the said sleeve ends of theside beams being pivotally secured thereto by bolts 18 passing throughthe ends of the arms of the attaching plates 17 and through the sleeves9. The inner ends of the attaching plates 17 overlap beneath the mainbeam 1 and are fastened thereto by a double clamping yoke or saddle 19,the head or upper crossed portion 20 of which is formed with a threadedopening for the reception of a clamping screw 21, which is adapted toimpinge against the upper edge of the main beam and, through the actionof the yoke, draw the lapping ends of the at taching plates 17 in Thisconstruction provides a longitudinally adjustable transverse attachingbar formed by the two members 17 whereby the rear ends of the side beams7 may be adjusted toward and from the main beam and clamped securely inadjusted position.

Cotiperating with the cutter 15 are cutting blades 22 and 23 which arepivotally attached at their forward ends to the blade 15 by belts orrivets and extend rearwardly therefrom in divergent relation and areprovided with outwardly or laterally bent free ends 25 provided withdownturned projections 26 at their angle of intersection with the mainportions of the blade, and which serve the same function as thedownwardly bent projection 16 of the forward cutter 15. The outer edgesof these divergent blades 22 and 23 are beveled or otherwise suitablyformed to provide cutting edges, and as the implement moves forward overthe surface of the ground said blades 22 and 2?) lie flat upon andtravel over said surfaces, their cutting edges acting to sever the weedsclose to the ground surface. The divergent blades are provided withupwardly extending arms 26 which are fastened to the side beams 7 by abolt or rivet 27, and, as the forward end of the blades 22 and 23 arepivotally connected to the cutter 15, it will be seen that when thebeams 7 are adjusted toward and from the main beam 1 the divergentblades will be correspondingly adjusted therewith to project to agreater or less extent beyond the main beam to vary their range ofcutting action.

It will be seen that the cutter 15 forms the point or vertex portion ofa V-shaped cutter whose arms are formed by the divergent blades and thatsaid blade 15 will always cut in the center line of the implement whilethe size of the cutter as a whole may be in creased or diminishedthrough the adjustability of the divergent blades; also that theconstruction is such as to enable the divergent blades to be readily andconveniently engagement therewith.

adjusted and firmly secured in adjusted positions.

I have shown in the present instance a single cultivator shovel appliedat the rear of the main beam, but it will, of course, be understood thatany number of shovels may be used and arranged in any desired relationto cultivate the soil at the same time that the cutters are acting toremove the weeds from the field.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an agricultural implement of the character described, thecombination of a main beam, a hanger depending therefrom, a forwardcutter carried by the hanger, divergent cutting blades pivoted at theirfront ends to the forward cutter, upper and lower cross pieces fixed tothe main beam, side beams having their front and rear ends formed vithcoils, the front coils being arranged between said upper and lower crosspieces, bolts passing through and pivotally connecting said front coilsto said cross pieces, attaching members having lapping inner ends andforked outer ends, the latter receiving the rear coiled ends of the sidebeams, bolts passing through said rear coiled ends of the side beams andpivotally connecting the same with said forked ends, means foradjustably connecting and securing the lapping ends of the attachingmembers to the main beam, and connections between said divergent cuttersand said side beams.

2. In an agricultural implement of the character described, thecombination of a main beam, a forward cutter supported therefrom,divergent cutters pivotally connected at their forward ends to theforward cutter, the said forward cutter and divergent cutters beingprovided at their rear ends with downwardly extending earthpenetratingprojections, and means for adjustably connecting the divergent cutterswith the main beam.

In testimony whereof I a'llix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH J. SMITH. lVitnesses Roy C. Knnsnr, CHAS. L. 0cm.

